Improvement in cotton-seed planters



WILCOX & CALDWELL.

Cotton Planter.

No. 66,924. Patented July 16, 1867 a neues: I ZZZ %M4/ 5/% N-FETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHEH, WASHINGTON, D. a

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- MICHIGAN.

Letters Patent No. 66,924, dated July 16, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN COTTON-SEED PLANTERS.

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TO ALL.WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I

Be it known that we, LUTHER T. W1Lcox and WILLIAM G. CALDWELL, of Three Rivers, in the county of St. Joseph, and State of Michigan, have invented a new and improved Cotton-Seed Planter, and that the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, hereinafter referred to, forms a full and exact specification of the same, wherein we have set forth the nature and principles of our said improvements, by which our invention may be distinguished from all others of a similar class, together with such parts as we claim and desire to have secured to -us by Letters Patent.

This invention relates to a new and improved machine for planting cotton-seed, and it consists of an improved seed-distributing device, arrangement of gearing for operating the same, and an improved means for preventing the choking or clogging of the hoppers, all being constructed and arranged in such a manner that cotton seed may be planted at suitable and equal distances apart, and in one or more rows, as may be required. In the accompanying sheetof drawings- Figure 1, Sheet No. 1, is a side sectional view of our invention taken in the line a: re, fig. 2.

Figure 2, a plan or top view of the same.

Figure 3, Sheet No. 2, a vertical section of the same taken in the line y y, fig. 2.

Figure 4, an enlarged vertical section of the same taken in the same line as :v as fig. 1.

Figure 5, a section of a portion of the same taken in the line 2 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A represents a rectangular frame, which is mounted on two wheels B B. These wheels are placed loosely on what is commonly termed a crank-axle, C, which is fitted loosely in bearings, a, at the under side of the frame A. At the centre of the axle 0 there is a crank, b, on which the lower end of the seat-standard D is fitted loosely, and the seat and standard are held in position by a rod, E, attached to the standard and to a socket, c, on the front of a frame, A, which socketreceives the draught-pole. To the axle C there is attached a lever, F, which has an arm, G, pivoted to it, said arm being provided with a pin, OZ, to catch into any of a series of holes in a segment-bar, H, secured on the frame A. By turning this axle and securing it at different points by means of the pin cZ the frame of the device may be adjusted higher or lower, as desired. The rod E, it will be seen, will hold the standard -D and drivers seat in position under all adjustments of the frame A. I represents a seed-hopper, which is attached to bars or plates 6 e on the frame A. This seed-hopper has a. semispherical bottom, f, in which a slot is made longitudinally with the frame A. to admit of an annular case, J, working therein. This case J is at the edge of a hollow box, K, at one end-of a sleeve, L, which is secured on a shaft, M, on the frame A. This box K is somewhat less than a semisphere in form, and one side, 9, of the case J is attached to it, while the other side, It, is detached and is held in position by the bottomf and the upper end of a seed-conveying tube, N,'(see fig. 3.) Within the case J there is pivoted a series of tcctl1,2', of L-shape or right-angular form, and the points of these teeth project through openings in the peripheries of the case J. On the edge of the box K there is secured a series of inclines, j, against which the inner surfaces of the teeth 2' are pressed by springs It, and it will be seen by referring to fig. 5 that by moving or turning the box K on the shaft M and securing it by a setscrew, Z, the teeth 2' may be made to project a greater or less distance out from the case J, as may be required. Within the seed-hopper I there is placed a vertical shaft, 0, having arms m passing horizontally through it, the outer parts of which are bent vertically downward, as shown in figs. 1,3, and 4. The shaft 0 is rotated by bevel-gears n from the shaft M, and the arms on prevent the seed from choking, clogging, or arching over in the seed-hon, while the teeth 2' in the rotating case J draw the seed down through an opening, 0, in the bottom of the seed-box, and discharge them into the tube N, (see figs.

1 and 4,) the capacity of the-opening a being regulated by a slide, 0 The tube N is formed with 'a tooth or share, 17, at its lower end-to make a furrow to receive the seed, and the seed is covered by shares P, the standards Q of which are slotted longitudinally, as shown at q in fig. 1, and through which slots screws 1 pass into tube This arrangement admits of the covering-shares being adjusted higher or lower, as may be desired. The shaft M is rotated by gears s s s" from the wheel 13, the gear 8" being'placed loosely on the shaft M and connected to it and disconnected from'it by a clutch, t, the latter having a spiral spring, u, pressing against it to keep the gear 3 ,connected with the shaft M, and having a lever, B, connected with it, by which said gear may be readily disconnected from the shaft when necessary. The clutch is provided with ratchet-teeth, as usual, to admit of tlle gear 8 provided at its side with pins or similar teeth engaging with it when the machine is drawn forward only. The seed-conveying tube N is braced or stayed by a rod, S, from the frame A, S being connected to N by a wooden pin, which will break in case of the tooth or share coming in contact with any obstruction. By this arrangement of gearing the frame A may be raiserl and lowered Without at all interfering with it.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. The adjustable or extonsionteeth 2', arranged within the case J, and operated by means of the inclines j on the adjustable box K, and the springs 70 within the case, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The rotating arm m within the seed-hopper I, arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

LUTHER T. WILOOX, WILLIAM G. CALDWELL.

Witnesses:

WM. HUTCHISON, HENRY HUTCHISON. 

